Dream to Walk
by RiotRunner
Summary: The beginning of a journey for 3 teens begins, and all have challenges they'll have to overcome. But the bonds and friendships they'll make will have to help them trump the hardships and horrors as well. OCxLyra and other pairings *More teenage journey*
1. Chapter 1: Dream of a Journey

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Obviously.

Okay, so there are tons of Pokemon stories, and there are many that are probably going to be better then this. And since it contains O.C's, I'm sure the review and view count will be low. But I don't care, this is a story I write for writing. Not for reviews. Please review to help, but no flames.

Also, the rating will be T for:

Language

Actual violence and small amounts of suggestive stuff like that

Romance ;)

O.C. Inside

Lot'sa romance, you'll just have to wait. Also, cameo's of Anime characters as well.

This story may top 50 chapters if I keep it strong.

Summary: Starting a journey from New Bark Town, young new trainer Kyle finds himself falling into a journey filled with adventure. But all isn't well in the world beyond his town, and as Kyle goes on, he notices just how much trouble he could get in. With his life always on the line, the journey begins!

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><p>"Lugia, Aeroblast!"<p>

"Dodge! Then Hyper Beam!"

Smirking, I counted on that typical move. A Hyper Beam? Extremely predictable- especially at this point of the battle. I'd already defeated 5 straight, that Gliscor was next. Nobody could match my Lugia.

"Take it! Then finish with Hydro Pump!" Just as I called, my faithful legendary did. The large milky-white deity took the orange beam, and growled, before launching a stream of water with so much pressure, it could break through steel.

Immediately, the attack connected, smashing the Gliscor to the ground, and rendering him unable to battle.

I heard fireworks sound in the background and Lugia turn to me with a small grin. Even a pokemon as gracious and powerful as Lugia enjoyed winning battles.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" A small man with a large trophy walked up to me, and offered me his hand. Stunned, I accepted it, smiling like crazy. This was our time, we'd finally won the Championship!

"Mr. Helm, I congratulate you on a job well done! Truly, a performance to remember!" Shaking his hand eagerly, I reached out to accept the offered trophy.

"Kyle?" Behind me, a female voice seemed to beckon me. Turning, I responded.

"Yes?" Seeing no one, I rubbed my eyes. "Who's there?"

"Time to wake up!"

* * *

><p>"Huh?" Morning light fluttered through my window, playfully teasing my closed eyes. My shades did nothing to prevent the warm golden rays of light from burning my eyes. Wincing, I rolled to cover my face.<p>

"C'mon! It's time to wake up!" An enthusiastic voice from my right caused me to slowly roll to check who in the right mind would be excited about waking up. Least of all; waking me up! Everyone in New Bark Town knew not to disturb me when I was sleeping. I was more ferocious then an Ursaring.

Not recognizing voice right away, my blurry vision gave way to a girl with shoulder-length brown hair, and a wide smile. Her brown eyes were filled with excitement, and she was clad in a pair of short, tight blue jeans and a red, elbow length shirt. (A/N: Yes, no overalls. Sorry.)

"L-Lyra?" I said slowly, the morning wake-up still delaying my thoughts. Finally, one thought got through. "What are you doing in my room?"

She laughed her sweet laugh, and stared at me like I was insane.

"Your mom let me in! Duhh! C'mon, Professor Elm is giving away the Pokemon today!" I cocked my head at her as I swung my legs over my bed. What she was saying made no sense. Professor Elm was the one of the Johto region's most proficient scientists regarding Pokemon. Why in the right mind would he be giving away Pokemon?

Rolling her eyes, Lyra laughed again. "Obviously you didn't read the postcard!" Fumbling with her pockets, I pulled off my nightshirt as she tried to find the postcard. One would hope she ended up removing her pants in order to find it...

Alas, she didn't need to as she "Ahh'ed!" in delight, finally removing the postcard from her pocket. She stared at me a moment- as I was without a shirt- before a pinkish tint covered her cheeks. A tingling, burning feeling went through my own, and I deluded my face from her eyes.

"Umm, this card." She said shyly, handing me the postcard. Taking it, I threw on a shirt and made sure her eyes were diverted, before changing into a pair of black shorts. My shirt, a red shirt with a black Pokeball insignia, melded well. I had no need to comb back my short black hair, it was already set. Ah the benefits of short hair.

I read over the card quickly, only capturing a few words. One of them being "Starter". So Lyra was talking about the starter Pokemon we could receive today...

I looked at her, my own excitement building. I'd been waiting for this day for quite some time. "What're we waiting here for? Let's go get ourselves our first Pokemon!" I said, not wasting anymore time. After all, time was of the essence.

She smiled, and took off, not even bothering to see if I was in tow. She raced down the stairs, bidding my mother a farewell- who was still eating her morning cereal.

I raced down too, fumbling with my shoes. Some times, they could be a serious pain...

"Bye mom!" I said, barely tying the knot in my shoe. She laughed a little bit as I stumbled over my own feet, amused by my antics.

"Where're you off to?" She asked, quite interested. Although I'd managed to stay out of trouble, (for the most part) it still pleased her to know where I was off to. She never said no to anything, she just liked knowing. I think it has to do with my dad...

He passed away when I was 5. I don't know why, my Mom never told me. In fact, I don't believe anyone in the town knew. It was one of the most secretest secrets ever. Days after, my mom was torn between telling someone and holding it. I don't know what she did; but whatever the case was, I knew not to mention him unless I wanted to see tears and anger.

"Professor Elm's! He's giving away Pokemon today, and I wanted to see if I could get one!" Obviously, my Mom knew about the postcard, because she didn't ask any questions, but the look on her face said something else. It was almost as if she didn't want me going.

"Um, okay honey... be safe." The falter in her voice tempted me to ask, but the last thing I needed was to be faced with the demonic mother. She'd be fine; and, I could ask when I got back.

"You know it mom. Be back in a little bit! Love you!" My calls were definitely heard as I raced out the door, trying to catch up to Lyra. I flew by my friend Helgi's house, his window open. I stopped a moment to toss a rock from his front yard in. I heard a faint yelp as I made contact with someone inside. Smirking, I saw the rock go flying out and a thump as he got out of bed.

"Hey! Who's throwing stuff at me again?" His short blond hair was curled and messed up, probably from his "active" dreams. I'd spent the night over there a few times, and whenever I tried to sleep, I was woken up by him walking about or rolling in his sleep. It was a bad habit, as he'd almost walked into the nearby lake.

"That would be me! Dude, get moving! Don't wanna miss your chance at a pokemon, do you?" I taunted him, his eyes widening with realization. He swore, running inside and a flurry of noises came from inside. Laughing, I could tell it'd be a bit before he came out. He never was quick with getting dressed.

I walked the rest of the way to Elm's laboratory, seeing the familiar windmills from my own house. I walked up the dirt pathway, smiling at Elm's assistant.

"Good day Kyle!" He said, familiar with my visits. Commonly, I'd come here to help raise some of the young pokemon and actually help conduct research on them as well. Professor Elm said he loved my help, and since my father's death, he had usually played the role of my dad.

"Hiya Mr. Terlyn! How's today been for you?" I asked politely, knowing him and his family very well. Actually, I knew everyone in the town; there weren't many people. However, recently, Professor Elm had a small summer camp and many students had attended. Today, they graduated and all got a pokemon. That was the reason for the card. I hadn't attended because it was all stuff I knew; no need in attending.

"It's been very busy. We just gave away our last pokemon!" He said, not realizing my face until the last moment. "Oh! Kyle! You... you didn't get one?" The shock he had was sincere. He must've been quite busy and worked to not notice. But my spirits crashed after that... the one opportunity I had at receiving my pokemon and starting my journey... all ended.

"You can still go check... I know all the student's left early this morning... perhaps there is one left over?" I could tell he was trying to supply me with hope. After all, he knew- everyone knew- about my long-lived dream of being a world-famous Pokemon Trainer. This was supposed to be my big break. At 15, I was a late bloomer in terms of starting. Then again, Lyra and Helgi were also 15.

"Okay... thank you Mr. Terlyn." I said, a small smile on my face. I walked up the wooden steps, stopping in front of the door. Taking a breath in, I opened the door and was greeted by a metallic smell; the smell of discovery as Professor Elm constantly called it.

"Kyle! Nice to see you!" Came the Professor's eager calls. He came out from behind a large machine and wiped a few beads of sweat off of his face.

"Hi Professor. Has Lyra stopped by?" I asked, trying to avoid the topic I knew would crush my heart.

"Yes actually. She's in the back." He said, a large smile on his face. "She already loves that Chikorita."

My heart rose a bit; but not for myself. If I couldn't have a Pokemon, at least Lyra could. She deserved that much.

"So she got one?" I asked, and Professor Elm was about to respond, but the door behind us swung open, revealing Helgi... wearing his shirt inside out.

"I'm late, I know. But are there any Pokemon left?" I could tell by the look on Professor Elm's face, that there weren't. His eyes turned sad for a moment, and he opened his mouth, but closed it after a moment, indecisive with his words.

"Sorry guys... Lyra got the last one..." Nodding, we both sighed. We were late, that's how things worked.

"Alright..." Helgi murmered, visibly upset by the news. Who could blame him? His mother was one of the most powerful gym leaders in the regions. She was located quite far away, all the way in the Unova region. She rarely visited home, as she was quite often, extremely busy with her gym and town. Even though she was the flying gym leader, not even any of her Pokemon could fly her home and back in one shot and quickly.

He had really been hoping to get a pokemon and even challenge her one day. Now...

We both walked out of the lab without saying another word. Neither of us could even speak to each other, being so distraught. Looking over at my house down a little ways, I shook my head, and turned to Helgi.

"Mind if I stay with you for a lil' bit? I don't wanna go home... not yet..." He nodded sullenly, and opened his door. Tossing his shoes off, we went up the stairs. Correctively, I went upstairs and Helgi went to tell his father the bad news. I opened his door and flopped on the floor, staring at the ceiling in defeat. What a bad day...

Helgi walked up the stairs, with his father in tow.

"...accept the responsibilities of being late you know. This is why I kept saying for you to get an alarm." I would've laughed had I not been so upset. It was always funny to see Helgi have his dad point out a flaw in his waking up ritual.

"Yes, I know dad... I just really wanted to see mom. That's all." Giving the door a gentle push, it began to close, but not before Helgi's father put his foot in the way.

"Listen... son..." Both were silent as I awkwardly sat on the floor. I actually wanted to leave, but I was latched to the spot.

"Your mom wanted you to have this... for your own journey..." From his pocket, Mr. Hauker (Helgi's last name was Hauker) removed a small pokeball. He extended his hand, and Helgi hesitantly removed the pokeball. Not being able to see anymore, I quickly stood up, and wished Helgi luck. I already knew what had happened.

He'd received his first Pokemon too.

As I walked down the stairs, I heard a faint click and then a burst of light come from my best friends room. Stopping, I was actually curious to see what Pokemon he got. Slowly peering into the room, I saw a small bundle of brown fur and a small few white stripes.

An Eevee.

I smiled, and walked down the stairs, and out of my friend's house. That was actually slightly awkward.

With nowhere else to go, I walked slowly back into Professor Elm's lab. No one was inside- they were all out watching Lyra and her Chikorita. I had to admit, the two had it going... they looked like a great team already. The way the small leaf pokemon responded, and listened... they were going to go far.

I wished I could go with them.

Sighing, I took a seat on a stray chair and placed my head on a desk, being sure not to disturb any papers. But as I sat in silence, a small noise drew my attention.

Pulling my head up, I peered around the room. Again, the noise sounded.

Finally, I traced it to a pile of boxes. I saw a small box quiver, and I hesitated in removing it. But my mind made itself up as I spoke silently to myself.

_'You ever wanna be a great trainer, you have to take risks!'_

Taking in a deep breath, I removed the brown box, and peered straight at the small body of a Pokemon. It looked at me, full of fear as it quivered on the spot, and said only one thing.

"Cynda?"


	2. Chapter 2: Journey Start

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Obviously.

Wow! Thank you for all the reviews, that was awesome! Seriously, thank you. It really makes things better!

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><p>"Cynda?"<p>

For a moment, everything was still. I stared at the small rodent-like pokemon before me. It was extremely small, even for a Cyndaquil. It's tan belly and dark blue fur were two major signals of it being a Cyndaquil. That, and when it spoke, it even said "Cynda".

Like most of its species, this Cyndaquil was a timid one, not willing to remain in the presence of me. It fled into the corner, before curling into a tight ball. I watched it for a moment, the way it quivered and shook. It was scared to death of me.

"I-it's alright little guy. I won't hurt you." From my reading and teachings from Professor Elm, I knew not to extend my arm and try to pet it. It would result in the little guy getting scared and possibly razing the whole building. If it was old enough to do that.

If not, it would run away; Cyndaquil's were know for being agile and fast on their feet. For now, the best thing to do was to just wait. So, getting out of the chair, I crouched down and watched the small pokemon. It quivered in fear, and refused to leave the ball. I almost assumed it was using Defense Curl, but I remembered an interesting fact; Cyndaquil's didn't learn Defense Curl until much later in their time. This one looked particularly young. It probably couldn't even light its fire yet.

I heard the clamor from outside, and saw the Cyndaquil slowly beginning to uncurl. Probably to escape the noise outside.

A loud thump- probably a Tackle attack by Chikorita- caused Cyndaquil to lunge away from the wall... straight into my arms. In surprise, I caught the small mouse, and I felt it burrow into my arms to try and feel safe. Within a few seconds, the small pokemon was nestled comfortably into my arms, "safe" from the dangers outside.

It was actually kind of shocking. One second, this little creature was afraid of me and ran upon seeing me, and now, it was nestled like a baby in my arms.

Its soft tan fur tickled my forearms, and its head tried burrowing its way under my arm, but I kept a clench on my arm. No way I was letting it hid under my armpit. Guaranteed that would not end greatly. I'd probably be tickled to death.

But as it sat in my arms, it seemed to calm down and its rapid breathing slowed down some. I heard it begin to softly mumble, and almost purr. I used my small hand mobility to put a few fingers on its small belly. The tan fur barely covered my fingertips as I lightly began to scratch him. Judging by its pattern of tones, and just a general assumption, this Cyndaquil seemed male.

Besides, it was increasingly rare for there to be a female Cyndaquil. The percentages me and Professor Elm had come out to equaled about 13.5%.

I stood up, and slowly carried the small fire-mouse to the door. Grimacing, I realized I had no way of opening the door. I thought I might be able to kick it, but I feared about scaring the Cyndaquil. Knowing it was a risk I needed to take, I wound up my foot, and slammed the door. Cyndaquil fidgeted nervously in my arms, but didn't run away. Perhaps I'd earned its trust?

Taking a step back, I smiled as I heard a pair of footsteps approach the doorway. The door opened, and I saw Professor Elm smiling widely, not yet seeing me. He was obviously pleased with Chikorita and Lyra.

"...guys are looking great! Perhaps you can even become the champions!"

Turning to me, his eyes got wide for a moment.

"W-where did you find this little guy?" Immediately, Lyra and Mr. Terlyn peered inside, trying to see the sudden new distraction. I saw a young Chikorita resting in Lyra's arms, staring just as curiously in. They already looked inseparable.

"I found him in a box? You didn't know he was here?" At first I thought maybe he was being studied, but if Professor Elm didn't know about him... then maybe he wasn't from around here. After all, I didn't recognize him.

"Oh! He must've been the egg that hatched! I knew that design was too intricate to be a Ponyta! You owe me 30 bucks!" I sighed at Professor Elm's triumph. Only he'd find so much excitement in predicting an egg pokemon.

Mr. Terlyn sighed, and began to search his pockets for the 30 bucks. Meanwhile, Professor Elm tried removing the Cyndaquil from my arms- to no avail.

"Little guy has quite the grip..." He said, grunting as he struggled with the young pokemon. Finally, I rolled my eyes, I pulled away.

"Where do you want me to set him?"

Professor Elm smiled, and readjusted his glasses. Walking over the machine he had been working on earlier, he beckoned me to follow. A glass dome opened up and he patted the metal panel.

"Right here. This machine'll do all the tests we need." Nodding, I walked over and placed Cyndaquil on the panel. However, as my arms were almost removed, he began to whimper and shake. Both me and the Professor stopped and looked at each other in surprise. It was rare to see a Pokemon so quickly attached to a trainer.

I placed a hand back on the Cyndaquil, and he stopped shaking. My palm was just about as big as his back- he was incredibly small. Slowly, Professor Elm began the scans, my arm ignored. The machine made some whirring, and mechanical droning noises.

After a span of about 3 minutes, the machine stopped. During that time, I'd watched Chikorita 'talk' with Lyra. She had taken such a quick liking to the leaf pokemon, and they were sharing a bond that I'd never seen first-hand before.

Professor Elm cut the machine's power, and told me it was okay to pick up Cyndaquil again. He seemed content back in my arms, causing me to wonder about him. Why was he so clingy? Did it have to do with his age?

"According to this, Cyndaquil is barely a few days old! He is very, very young! Can't even light his flame yet. Oh well, here. I better take him from you Kyle, sorry... you best find a pokemon you can use."

Now, it may've been the sudden bond I felt for the young pokemon, or how right he felt in my arms, or maybe his squeals when he was removed from my arms, but I stopped Professor Elm before he was able to fully take away Cyndaquil.

"W-wait. I can't keep him?" The desperation in my voice was plainly obvious, but I could tell that everyone was surprised.

Professor Elm stopped taking Cyndaquil, and handed him slowly back to me. "You want him? He's young."

"That's fine." I said, gently stroking his soft fur. "We'll learn and grow- together."

I don't know if it was the fact that finally, I had my own Pokemon... but everything felt right.

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><p>"Mom!" I called, finally arriving home. Professor Elm had given me Cyndaquil's pokeball (after catching him with it) and now, he was officially mine. And I was officially a trainer. Everything seemed super exciting.<p>

However, when I got home, I sighed. I almost wanted to leave. My mom was sitting on the couch, in a teary-angry mood. Judging from the glass shards decorating the floor, I'd say she'd had an angry moment. This was (hopefully) the sad.

I was tempted to get up and walk out, but I knew she was my mom, and whether or not I wanted to be in the same room as her during this mood didn't matter. She was family, and I had to take care of her.

"Mom?" I asked softly, carefully making my way to her. She didn't look up, her face still red with tears and flushed with probable anger.

"He's gone. He just left us." She said quietly, probably unaware I could hear her. She often went through moods in which she couldn't hear, or see me. It was really weird and creepy. I'd used to think she was possessed by some ghost-type.

But after hearing her words, I felt kind of bad about getting Cyndaquil. With my new pokemon, meant a possible journey. And with that, meant I'd be leaving shortly. My mom'd be torn apart.

"Mom?" I asked again, hoping for her to continue to ignore me. Luckily for me, she did, and instead, she muttered more. This time, I couldn't understand her incoherent words.

"I'll be leaving... soon." I said, not aware she was staring at me. I'd turned away to fetch some water from the kitchen.

"Leaving... for what?" Her voice was raw and scratchy. Completely new to me; I'd never heard her speak to me in one of her moods unless she was screaming or whispering.

"For a journey." I said, pretending it was no big issue. But the second I spoke, she growled at me, and fiercely said no. And that's when the fireworks began.

"No? NO? HOW CAN'T I GO?" I erupted, unbelieving what I'd heard. I'd never heard of a mother denying her child the wish for traveling the region. It was never easy; but they never said no.

"You're father! That's how!" She screeched, her eyes already filling with tears. I could tell this fight was going to be over fairly quick.

"Well, if you haven't noticed, I'm NOT HIM!" After that, all was silent. She stared at me with tears swimming, in disbelief, like she was finally realizing that I wasn't my father. In fact, I didn't even know him; but learning he was involved with a Pokemon Journey... that was something.

She stood up, glass crunching under her shoes. Good thing she was wearing those. She stared at me for a second before going to the right of the kitchen into her room. She slammed her door- hard.

I sighed, and looked at the clock. 6 P.M. Forming a plan, pulled out my Pokegear, and I called Lyra and Helgi. Maybe we could have a camp-out sleepover.

It rang twice, before I got a familiar "yello?"

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><p>"Wow... this was a great idea!" Lyra said, putting the final peg into the tenting. We were right next to the lake, so it seemed like we were actually on a Journey, knowing full well we weren't. Yet.<p>

Helgi nodded in confirmation, his Eevee resting in its pokeball. I stared at my shiny new pokeball, wondering for just a split-second, what Cyndaquil was feeling. Being cooped up inside the contraption, all alone...

That's when I smiled, and pressed the small circular button on the black line. The ball enlarged, and I used my hand, and popped it open. A burst of white light released my new companion, revealing him to the world again.

Slowly, he looked around, unfamiliar with the new surroundings. Finally, he located me, and exclaimed in delight. He jumped up, and right into my arms. Laughing, I caught the small fire-type, and held him protectively. Lyra 'awwed' and Helgi 'Ohhed' in appreciation of my new Pokemon.

Both teens got their pokemon out, and soon, it was a small festival. I got a closer look at Helgi's Eevee. It's brown fur was neatly trimmed, and it seemed quite laid back- just like Helgi. Chikorita walked over to the lake to get some water, and I noticed Cyndaquil's gaze set firmly on it. Perhaps...

I knew I had a crush on Lyra. That much was obvious. And there had been studies done suggesting Pokemon would often reflect their trainers feelings. Cyndaquil barely knew me though; and definitely didn't know Lyra... it couldn't have a crush on Chikorita... could it?

Ignoring that odd fact, I set Cyndaquil down, surprising it. He looked up at me but I shook my head playfully.

"Inside." I said, and without meaning to, everyone obeyed and went inside. It was a fairly large tent, fully capable of holding 3 teens. The interior was plain, and held 3 sleeping bags. The red and black was mine, the blue one Helgi's, and the pink one Lyra's.

Glancing at the time (8:21) I smiled, and got into my sleeping bag without the intention to sleep. I just wanted to get comfy. Cyndaquil was quick to follow, as he wriggled into the bag, and was quick to curl up at my chest. I was on my side to face my friends; who'd assumed similar positions. Chikorita was resting against Lyra's chest, and Eevee on Helgi's head.

"So... we're all trainers now, huh?" Helgi said, breaking the silence. Since setting the tent up, nobody had really said anything. I don't know why, but it was obvious we were all somewhat anxious... and nervous.

"Yeah, guess so." I said quietly, staring at my Cyndaquil. He was sleeping softly, and apparently, I had been softly scratching his belly.

"What're your plans?" Lyra asked us, an excited smile on her face. Putting a finger to his chin, Helgi and I both sat in a thought process for a few seconds. I hadn't put any thought into it really; I just wanted to become the champion.

"I kinda wanna take the Pokemon Gym challenge. You know, gather the badges and challenge the gyms." Helgi explained, a faraway look in his eyes. I figured that to be part of his mother's memory. After all, she was a gym leader; beating her would be a big thing.

"Cool! That's the same here! I totally wanna become the best trainer ever!" Lyra said, a huge grin on her face. Her Chikorita shared the same grin; a mutual determinism.

"Kyle?" Looking up again, I stared into the eyes of my two curious friends. "What're you gonna do?"

I sat in silence. I knew my dream was the exact same; become the best and the champion. But I mean... Cyndaquil... was he a fighting Pokemon? So far, he'd shown little to no potential in fighting, being scared of quite a bit. Plus, he was very young. Was I really going to try with him?

"I suppose... I want the same thing. But Cyndaquil is so... young and inexperienced. Battling doesn't even seem plausible." I said, slightly rubbing his back. The holes were his fire would erupt were cold, and covered by his flameproof fur.

"All our Pokemon are. Chikorita only has a tiny bit of experience." Lyra said, trying to help my thoughts. Except Chikorita seemed competent and highly capable of battling on a whim.

"Yeah, and my Eevee has no experience either. He's really young too. It's a challenge we all have to face- and one we'll all work through." Sometimes, I forgot as dense as both me and my friend came off, there was hidden wisdom within. Helgi was totally right; it was a challenge we'd work through.

Smiling and nodding, I placed my hand out. "Alright guys, let's give this region a run for its money."

Both Helgi and Lyra placed theirs on top of mine. That night, we made a promise. To be our best. One way or another.

...

On a side note, I got a glimpse of Lyra in a bra.

Best. Day. Ever.


	3. Chapter 3: Out Cold

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Obviously.

I like the reviews, and if you submit a signed one, I usually message you back something, so please, please, please review! Thank you!

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><p>That night, I slept soundly. The warmth that radiated and seeped through my skin was enough to keep me happy. The August air had no effect on me- at least not with Cyndaquil nearby. He may've been young, and unable to light his fire, but he was still a fire-type, and a warm one at that.<p>

I held him close, and the little pokemon snuggled warmly into my side. It was one of the best sleeps I'd gotten in a long time.

Early the next morning, I awoke feeling completely refreshed.

Cyndaquil was yawned in fatigue as I accidentally had jostled him awake as I stirred. His eyes never opened, so it was kind of hard to tell when he was awake and asleep, but judging on his breathing pattern, I could usually tell.

I fumbled through my belongings next to me, trying to get my Pokenav. Finally, I located the small device, and opened it up. Somehow, it always had the correct time; probably due to Goldenrod's Radio Tower.

The time read 8:46, and the sun was peeking through the fabric of the tent, illuminating eveyone's faces. Lyra and her Chikorita were curled up cutely, and seemed to be locked in a deep slumber.

Helgi, on the other hand, was kneeling, grooming his Eevee. We'd both volunteered over the summer with Professor Elm, and while I was the one conducting research and learning about the Pokemon because I have no clue, Helgi was the one who was constantly surrounded by the pokemon at the lab.

No matter what was going on, you would find him playing with some Pokemon. Teaching and playing with them came naturally to him- it probably had to do a lot with his mother being a gym leader. Training ran through his blood. He always knew the right thing, and always made the move that suited the battle best. It was pure instinct for him.

I had a ton of respect for him, and how good he was. Now, I was even more excited for our first battles, because I'd finally get the chance to see his instincts in action.

So seeing him already grooming his Eevee wasn't a huge surprise.

Noticing me awake, he stopped grooming, and set the brush down.

"Kyle?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Nothing... I think the entire town knows we're leaving today." My eyes, which had been filled with sleep, shot open and locked with his instantly. I had no idea we were leaving today.

"Y-you're leaving? Already?" Silently, he nodded. His Eevee just watched us talk, facinated by the conversation. I made sure to keep my voice down, as to not wake Lyra.

"We have to move eventually. I wanna get going. And you should too." Helgi said, his rational making total sense. I couldn't wait around here, trying to toughen up. No matter what it came down to, the longer I procrastinated and held off moving, the harder it would be to really become successful.

"...I guess you're right... I'm just a bit shocked 's all."

"We should probably get our gear ready... and be prepared for the crowd's." Helgi said, a small smile on his face. Crowds?

"What do you... mean by 'crowds'?" Helgi barely suppressed a laugh. I scowled, feeling like I was left out of a joke.

"If everyone knows we're leaving, they're gonna come out to support us and see us off." He explained, and I felt dumb. That was so simple, and I had no idea of it earlier.

"Ah." I said shortly, trying to contain my remarks toward myself.

He nodded, and climbed out of his blue sleeping bag. Eevee hopped out, a smile on its face. It seemed to be pretty happy with everything. Rolling up the bag, Helgi also gathered whatever belongings he had with him. Nodding at me, he sat down, his stuff in a heap- all ready to go.

"So... who's gonna wake up Lyra?"

* * *

><p>Half an hour later (and a painful kick in the nuts) we were all saying goodbye so we could all pack. I saw Lyra turn down the street to get to her house. There were about 15 houses here, and two dirt roads. Luckily, or unluckily, my house was located on the same street as Helgi's and Professor Elm's.<p>

As Helgi and Lyra went into theirs, happy and excited for their oncoming journey, I peered into mine. My instincts told me not to go in; that it would be dangerous.

"Cynda?" My small partner coo'ed to me, trying to either counsel me, or warn me. I was desperately hoping for the first one.

"Wanna wait here lil' buddy?" I asked Cyndaquil, not wanting to recall him to his Pokeball. After all, he seemed a lot more content now, and needed to be exposed to the world.

Stunningly, Cyndaquil shook his head, and instead took a step forward and notioned toward the door. Taking a breath, I opened the door as silently as I could. The living room and kitchen were both dark and seemed to be in a standing condition. The glass though, still hadn't been cleaned, and I picked up Cyndaquil as to avoid him getting hurt. He wasn't a Geodude; he could get really hurt.

I stealthily snuck past my mom's room- who's door was still shut- and got up the stairs. Only, my door was closed. And it wasn't when I left.

Cursing, I sighed. There was no way out of this. Whatever was waiting in there wasn't going to go away by me cowering out. I was going to be a Pokemon Master, I needed to have courage. I set down Cyndaquil, and kept thinking.

As I talked myself into it, Cyndaquil seemed to also be getting over it's cowardice. It bared its teeth and assumed a defensive pose. If it was only a little bit older, the flames on its back would've lit.

Gently taking the metal door handle, I turned it. The wooden door was quick to open, showing me the contents of... my room.

Nothing was in there. Well, no one. It was the same as I'd left it, and nobody had snuck in to surprise me.

Releasing a breath I didn't know I'd taken, I walked in and shut the door. Immediately, Cyndaquil was upon my bed, curling up on my pillow. He yawned, and got into a tight ball, falling back to sleep in an instant. I rolled my eyes at his laziness, but couldn't help laughing a little bit.

I decided I'd let Cyndaquil sleep while I gathered supplies. Rummaging through my closet, I failed to located a backpack that could hold what I'd need. Sighing, I dropped to the floor. This was already hard.

Without a supportive parent, this was a lot harder. I knew Helgi's dad would be helping him. Hell, his younger brother may've been too. As for Lyra... well, there was no doubt both her dad and mom were working with her, trying to get the supplies together. Families were supposed to stick together- especially on these journeys.

I contemplated going to ask my mom for support and help, but I knew what it would come to. A big 'N-O'. Lastly, I didn't need to leave in a huff, completely angered by the lack of discipline by her. Understandably, her husband died. My father. But it wasn't okay to dwell upon it for all this time.

There was a time where you had to move on... otherwise, you were going to hurt those close to you. Well, she _hadn't_ moved on. And she _was_ hurting me.

Realizing that perhaps there was some stuff locked away in the small cellar-like basement, I made my way (carefully) downstairs. My shoes protected me from the glass still, and I walked to the closet that led to the small cellar.

I opened the door, and slowly made my way down the set of stairs. It was dark, and a musty, dusty smell covered the walls and handrails. I knew I hadn't been down here in awhile, but I figured perhaps my mom had. She used to constantly lock herself away here.

I reached the base of the stairs, and began to look around the small cubic room. A few boxes were marked specifically, meaning to go through some would be worthless. Searching for a backpack in the "Christmas" box would be useless.

Peering into a few unmarked ones came to no avail, and I began to get frustrated. I was sure there would be at least one box containing some of my dad's old stuff- if he went on a journey. I mean, if he didn't, then I'd suppose there wouldn't be anything.

Noticing a cardboard box behind a plastic tub, I frowned and tilted my head to try and get a better look. Unable to see, I move the big bin, and stretched to grab the hidden box. It wasn't too heavy, but it was mildly dusty. In fact, a unique little aspect of it was that there was a part of it undusted... in the shape of fingers.

_Pulling_ off the top, my eyes widened at its contents. Inside, was small pokeball. Unlike the normal ones, being red and white, this one was black and gold. Running through my memories, I pinpointed it as an Ultra Ball, one of the best pokeballs sold. They were highly expensive, selling at 1200 dollars.

I picked up the ball, and pressed the button. Enlarging, then opening it, I was rather disappointed to find it empty. I minimized the ball, and set it on the top of the box. Then, I continued to look. A few documents, all nearly illegible and pretaining mostly to my mother and his love and such, I removed those, and placed them also on the cover. However, I was stunned to see a photo.

Carefully taking it out, I brushed the thin layer of dust off its cover and stared at it. There, in the black-and-white photo, stood a man who looked like an older version of me. His brown hair ended just above his eyes, spiking in random positions. A huge grin crossed his face, and it was shared by the Pokemon behind him.

There, behind him, stood a Machamp, Tryanitar, Tentacruel, Camerupt (a non-Johto native Pokemon) Venasaur, and Dragonite. All the Pokemon looked powerful and ready to rumble. To me, the Camerupt was a stand-out, not being a Pokemon you'd find around Johto. It may've been possible, but I sure didn't know of a location finding any Camerupt. Even any Numel- its pre-evolved form.

Then, in the middle of the pack, I noticed a small gleaming trophy. A pokeball was hoisted by two wave-like structures and it had something engraved on it. However, I couldn't read it. But I knew that trophy anywhere. That was the Johto Silver Conference Champions Trophy.

"No way..." I mumbled, completely amazed by the trophy. And learning that my dad not only went on a journey, but he was a Champion!

Slowly setting the picture down, I continued to look through the box. And although there was no backpack, there was a small medallion and even some more notes. But the most fascinating thing in there was a piece of paper, containing my name.

_Journal Entr_y _99_

_After all this time, I'm finally back in New Bark Town. It's been quite some time. Rachel went into birth while I was away... it's hard knowing I was absent for my own son's birth. I understand the meaning 'Chase your dreams' but that... that's unacceptable. I probably won't ever live this down. _

_Our son, Kyle Flint __Helm is completely healthy- and to the demise of his mother- a chip off the ole' block. I got back to seeing him already 3 months old. I felt really sad- it was as if I'd already missed a part of his life..._

The rest of the letter was smeared out, completely illegible. However, there was one stapled onto it, and that one was just as interesting.

_Journal Entry 132_

_I decided I'd pay a visit to New Bark. I heard Rachel went to Cherrygrove for the day, giving me the chance to see my son. Kyle. Since coming back [See 99] I haven't been allowed to see him. None of the townspeople think that's right, but it's not their decision. It's hers. I wish Kyle wouldn't have to grow up in the hands of... her. _

_I know I loved her, but things change. Since I left, she has become cold, and heartless. The once-loving, and always caring woman I fell in love with has been replaced. Kyle is going to have a difficult home life, that much is for sure. Arceus __forbid he attempt to begin his own journey. _

_I completely my mission though. I saw him, and even though he didn't recognize me, I got to see him. He really is a splitting image of me. Red eyes- a shocker to everyone-, brown hair, moderate height, and natural woman sense. Yep. He's already getting familiar with the women around. I saw him playing with the young girl Lyra. The two are going to grow up to get married, I can tell. Hopefully, she doesn't turn on him as well..._

_I wish... for one moment... to be able to go back, and stop myself from giving in so early. If there is one thing I want; it's to be able to play and grow with my boy. He deserves it. No child should go without a parent- it's not fair. But life... life is not fair..._

So he did love me... and he was a trainer...

My brain felt overloaded. I took the Ultra Ball, and the letters I'd read, and took everything else and put it back into the box. Setting it back into its corner, I only hoped my mother didn't think someone had gone through it. She wouldn't notice a missing ball and 2 letters... right?

I clamered up the stairs, stumbling about. My legs felt weak. I could barely remain standing. As I neared the top of the steps, I felt myself begin to fall. In a quick act of desperation, I got over the doorline, but fell right into a pile of glass. It pierced my skin and I wanted to yell. But I sucked in my breath, and got up, hearing the glass crunch under my skin. The floor was dampened by my blood; no doubt.

I stumbled up the stairs, and got into my room, falling into a heap. The blood was coming out more steadily, and the pain was causing throbbing in my hands. Both had chunks of glass in the skin, and would require attention. But for now, I merely covered them with a cloth, and thought to get out.

I needed somewhere to rest; my head was still spinning.

I walked over to Cyndaquil, and nudged him. He slowly stirred, slightly irritated by my interrupting of his sleep. But nonetheless, he rose. Upon seeing his new master in pain and having blood, he awoke, and whimpered softly. He licked at a dab of blood, but winced at the taste.

"Go... find Lyra..."

Cyndaquil cocked its head worriedly, probably not knowing who Lyra was yet.

"Chikorita..." I mumbled, and immediately, Cyndaquil pushed my window open. The fire type looked at me, before jumping out of the fricken window. I mean, jumped. Wow... if I wasn't so hurt, that would've been awesome.

But I felt so weak and tired. Falling to my knees, I felt my eyes shut against my will.


	4. Chapter 4: On the road to Cherrygrove!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon; obviously.

* * *

><p>"He's waking up... shh!"<p>

Wow... my head really hurt. In fact, everything hurt. My hands especially. I tried moving them, but something was constricting the movements. I felt a warm presence on my side, and slowly, I opened my eyes to see where I was.

"Kyle?" An adult voice asked. It sounded vaguely familiar; too deep to be Professor Elm's but too male to be any mom. After adjusting to the searing light, my vision slowly returned, revealing me to be in a bed. Around me was an older man, and Professor Elm.

My mom was nowhere to be seen. Neither were my friends. I understand the journey was exciting, but still. They couldn't even wait for their childhood friend to wake up first? Visibly upset, the man who'd spoken earlier spoke again.

"I see you're distraught some... don't blame Lyra or Helgi. They left before you were injured."

"Huh?" Unable to remain upset, I peered up at the adult, his eyes staring at me tenderly. Suddenly, I recognized him to be Lyra's father. I'd been over there a few times, all of them containing him. Although I was a dude, he seemed generally cool around me, and had a lot of trust too. Somehow, I suspected he knew about my crush.

"Your Cyndaquil couldn't find Chikorita or Lyra, because she'd left moments before. I was walking back to my house with my wife when your little pokemon here seemed frightened. I recalled Lyra saying you had a Cyndaquil, so I figured it to be yours. I tried to talk to it, but it ran back towards your house. It seemed to be calling me, so I followed, and found you unconscious." Lyra's father explained patiently.

"Thank you... what about my mom? Didn't she hassle you or something for breaking in?" There was no possible way my mother would just let anyone waltz in; me in danger or not. She had to have said something.

"She... wasn't home..." The hesitance was understandable. But I couldn't believe my mom wasn't home. Where the hell could she have gone?

"D-do you know where she is?"

He shook his head. "None. Nobody's seen her. I'm sorry Kyle. This must not be the best awakening ever..."

To his shock, I chuckled.

"No, but still." I laughed a bit, before sombering up, and realizing the biggest question I had, hadn't been answered yet. "Why did I collapse?"

Lyra's father went to speak, but he was cut off by the silent Professor Elm.

"How often are you eating?" He asked, catching me off guard. Hence, I had no answer prepared.

"Um, whenever we have food." I replied, not even catching Elm's sigh.

"You collapsed because you hadn't eaten enough, and your body was weak. Add shock to the mix, and you were destined to break down. It's a lucky thing you managed to get upstairs..." Professor Elm trailed off, leaving me to imagine what could've happened. Would I have bled out? From a small cuts from glass?

As if reading my mind, Professor Elm spoke once more. "Those were no small cuts either. That glass severed an artery. You were lucky you_ didn't_ bleed out. We stitched up the cuts, and removed the glass. Just be careful using your hands." I nodded, not having the voice to speak. How could I speak? I was basically told I died.

"Rest up... we'll check in on you later." Professor Elm said distantly, moving to leave the room. Peering around, I recognized it as the lab. Well, a room in the lab.

"Does this mean I can't being my journey?" I asked, feeling so young and let down. Sadly, both men nodded painfully. Neither one wanted to tell me my dreams would be put on hold.

Walking out, and flipping off the light, I felt alone.

The only thing that kept me from breaking down was Cyndaquil. His soft breathing from my side, and warmth was enough to keep me sane and thinking positively.

I smiled at him, then frowned at my scenario.

It wasn't until 12:01 on Thursday, August 21 when I made my decision.

I was leaving. Now.

* * *

><p>Backpack? Check. I found a stray one in the closet. It was red, with a black pokeball on the back and a few pockets.<p>

Pokemon? Check. Cyndaquil was walking next to me, albeit a bit drowsy.

Map? Check. I nabbed one from the desk.

Clothes? Check. Made sure to run home and fetch some. Oddly enough, my mom still wasn't home.

Food? Check. Enough non-perishable food to last me 2 weeks. Plus, I was only going to Cherrygrove City- that was a week's trip at longest.

Sighing contently, I turned, and looked back on my town. The midnight breeze swirled the air around, but the dark remained inky. No lights came on, and no "Get back in bed!" calls were sounded. I was away. I was free.

As I walked down the dirt road leading to Route 1, I heard a flurry of footsteps behind me. I growled to myself. Why wouldn't someone try to stop me?

"Cyndaquil, prepare for battle." I said quietly to my partner. Even as young as he was, he immediately recognized the call to fight. Turning around, he reassumed the defensive pose, and lowered his head.

Suddenly, the footsteps stopped, and in the abyss of the night, I could see the outline of a man.

"I'm not going back." I said, not afraid of the punishments. I heard a quiet chuckle, and the outline move closer, more features becoming distinguishable- until I was looking at the face of Mr. Terlyn.

"I'm not here to stop you, I'm here to wish you luck, and give you this." Reaching into his pocket, the lab assistant drew out a small red Pokedex, and 5 empty Pokeballs.

"Here... these both should help you on your journey." I gratefully took the items, and stowed them away in my bag. Finally... it all felt real.

Mr. Terlyn stared at me a moment, blinking. Then, he smiled and sighed softly.

"I... I remember your father and I both setting out on our quests too... he was so headstrong then. Always the courageous and better trainer. You could tell he was meant for great things..." My eyebrows rose in surprise at the unexpected twist. "You have that same aura... good luck Kyle. I know you'll do great."

With that, he turned around, and meshed with the dark- as if he'd never been there.

"Cyndaquil... are you ready?" I asked, looking down at my partner. He nodded, and although he blent in well in the darkness, I could see him nod. In the last few hours, he had gone from being a timid, young and helpless Cyndaquil to being a Pokemon ready to battle. Ready to travel the regions.

"Alright. Let's go." I said, a smile on my face. I was finally on my own journey.

I was finally where I belonged.

* * *

><p><strong>Route 29<strong>

I read the sign, and nodded in confirmation. Walking forward, I listened to the quiet hoots of nearby Hoothoot- one of the most common nocturnal Pokemon. Any trainer that started in the night would usually be found by morning with a Hoothoot in his/her arsenal.

Cherrygrove City wasn't too far from New Bark. In fact, it was usually a hour walk or so; you just had to be aware a lot of young Pokemon dwelling in the trees and grass. But so far, I had yet to cross paths with a wild Pokemon. And as much as it didn't bother me, there was the part of me that began panicking.

_'What if I get to Cherrygrove, and Helgi and Lyra already have 2 or 3 Pokemon? Will I fall behind even more?'_ From that, I began wondering if their starters were more powerful. What if they were? Would I be embarrassed if they challenged me to a battle?

As if knowing I was worrying, Cyndaquil sounded a soft cry, and a short nuzzle to the side of my leg. I completely forgot my dilemmas and turned to the fire-type.

"Cy-Cynda?" Unsure of what it was saying, I tried assuming.

"Um, are you asking if I'm alright?"

Cyndaquil shook his head, not taking his eyes off of me. Which was hard to do, since its eyes weren't open. We'd stopped walking, just to have this conversation.

"I'm fine buddy, thank you. I'm just wondering about what's gonna happen when we get to Cherrygrove." I quickly explained to the small Pokemon, who in return, snorted and bumped into my leg- hard. My knee buckling immediately, I fell down with a hard thud.

"OW! Cyndaquil, what the hell?" I shouted, forgetting it was almost 1 in the morning. When it didn't stop staring at me, I realized what it'd done. A nice Tackle attack.

"Were you... were you demonstrating your strength?" I asked, and Cyndaquil nodded in confirmation. I smiled; he wasn't worried about the upcoming battles because he had faith in himself. And now, I felt bad because up until then, I had next to no faith in the little guy.

Crouching down, I scratched Cyndaquil on the scruff of his neck, causing him to purr. A smile grew on his face, just as it did on mine. After a few moments, I stopped and stood up once more.

"Alright! Onward! To Cherrygrove City!"

But the second the words left my lips, I felt like a fool. In the near distance, a glowing building could be seen, standing tall and bright in the night.

"Is that...?" I trailed off, not able to remember the name of the building. It had a red roof, and it seemed so obvious, but I somehow couldn't remember.

"Cyndaquil!" My partner cried happily, beginning to sprint toward the building. In a rush, I followed, excited for the upcoming challenges.

We were on our way.


	5. Chapter 5: First Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

* * *

><p>The first thing I noticed was the old man waiting by the trees. That creeped me out in a huge way. I was almost tempted to have Cyndaquil use Tackle on him just so we could get by. But my morales got the better of me, and instead, I had Cyndaquil stay by my side.<p>

We slowed to a walk as we approached the man, as to not startle him. He seemed to be sitting on the ground, writing in the dirt. I also heard some faint words- indicating perhaps he was talking to himself.

Walking down the dirt path, our footsteps were masked by the soft silt, but due to it being early in the morning and there being no noise about, the old man looked up. His face brightened considerably upon seeing travelers. I was just hoping he was friendly and not crazy.

"Hello! Are you a rookie trainer?" He asked joyfully, springing up. He extended his hand, which I politefully took and shook. He even knelt down to shake Cyndaquil's paw. The small fire pokemon retreated at first, but hesitantly stepped forward and shook his hand.

"Yes actually... how can you tell?" I asked, not as suspecting as I was previously. He seemed nice, and was even kind enough to extend pleasantries to my Pokemon. He chuckled slightly and gestured to my attire.

"First, your clothes are fairly clean- something a veteran trainer wouldn't be seen in usually. Second, that's a young Cyndaquil and you just came from New Bark." His explanation made sense, and I 'oohed' in response.

"Ah... um, may I ask, why are you outside?" The question had been knocking on the inside of my skull, and if I didn't ask, I knew there was no way I would be at peace.

He sighed, and responded. "My wife picked a great time to have a... tantrum. So, it was either sleep outside OR visit my early grave. I've still got a few years left." The old man said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"So! If you'd like, I can show you around Cherrygrove, get you familiar with the buildings and resources you'll need to be a great trainer." The offer caught me by surprise, but without hesitance, I agreed. He smiled, and began walking. Taking that as my queue to follow, I walked in tow.

"First, this path leads to all the houses. Now, Cherrygrove is not a large town, so there aren't many houses. This way," He said, walking toward the bright glowing (fairly large) building with the red roof. I slowed up and stared at it in awe as I got closer. For such a small town, this was such a majestic building.

For one, it was at least 2 to 3 stories tall. Second, there was a turnstile door, and a glass automatic door. The white walls were shiny and bright, even in the young morning.

Walking in, I saw a mid-aged nurse on a computer, wide awake. She was wearing a nurse's outfit (surprisingly, not one of those revealing ones) and had shockingly pink hair. The quiet clicking of the keys on the keyboard were the only thing that could be heard in the otherwise silent room. Well, now you could hear our footsteps, but before that.

Alerted to our presence, she peeked around her large monitor, and smiled at the sight of us. Wheeling from behind the device, she stood up, and stretched out a moment.

"Hello! Welcome to the Cherrygrove Pokemon Center. How may I... oh!" She stopped, noticing who was with me. At first, she'd only been interested in the new trainer, but upon seeing the older man with me, she suddenly became interested. "Mr. Vin! Quite early for you to be up, don't you think?" She said with a smirk. He laughed, and nodded.

"Thank the wife..." He said, only half-jokingly. "Anyways, could I get a room for my young friend here?" He asked, and she nodded, going to the back of the small counter area to presumably, fetch some keys. I was a bit surprised, because if you could get a room, why didn't he? I would've asked, but I was way too tired, and when the keys were handed off, I was barely conscious. I was still rather tired and sickly from that whole fiasco earlier yesterday. Hungry, tired, and hurting... it was a bad and sucky combination.

"Second floor, room 4. Enjoy your stay." She said way too cheerily for 2 o'clock in the morning.

We went up the stairs (me having to pick up Cyndaquil, for he fell asleep while we were waiting for the keys) and finally reached my room.

"Alright young man. You get yourself some rest. Come find me tomorrow, and we'll have a small battle, okay?" I nodded, barely comprehending his words. He smiled, and I went into my room, closing and locking the door behind me. Not bothering to do anything else, I walked over to the bed, and fell onto it, reaching into a slumber nobody in the right mind would wake me from.

* * *

><p>The best part about that sleep, was that there was no alarm to disturb me. And that was enough to make it one of the best sleeps I'd gotten in a long time.<p>

I woke around 11, and immediately, I felt better. I was in the same position I'd fallen asleep in. Face first in the bed, and Cyndaquil sleeping peacefully on my back. As cute as he was, I knew that he needed to get ready for later. So, I jostled him... by rolling over.

A few muffled yells and bites later, we were both up and walking around. Rubbing my eyes, I went into the bathroom to try and clear up my vision. I'd unfortunately, slept with my contacts in- the only way I could avoid glasses- and they'd caused for some minor sight inconveniences.

I found my backpack strewn on the floor in a heap. The red backpack was still fairly empty, but held a few things. I'd gotten a potion from the lab, and also the Ultra Ball. I sighed, and tossed it down. As it hit the ground, something rectangular popped out and landed on the floor. Curiously, I walked over to it, and picked it up.

It was silver, and a bit scratched up. Inside was 8 indents, each a different shape and pattern. I didn't recognize it at first, until I counted the indents. 8. This was a badge's case.

I slipped the case into my jeans pocket and smiled. The sun wasn't shining today, as I peered outside. Grimacing, I nodded and stared outside. A few Pidgey flew in the sky, their small wings beating frantically as they battled the winds.

Closing the curtains, I picked up my backpack, and made sure I had everything I needed. I threw it onto my back, and patted my side pocket to make sure I still had Cyndaquil's pokeball. It would be a disaster if I lost it.

Outside, in the far distance, I heard the rumble of thunder.

Thunder. I hated thunder. Thunderstorms and all. It was one of the only things I hated.

Trying to ignore it, I picked up the keys and whistled for Cyndaquil. The small fire-type had been staring at the television... except the device had been powered off. He turned his attention to me and raced over to me. I closed the door, and locked it, but not before hearing someone call my name.

"Kyle! Thank Arceus you're okay!" Turning, I saw Helgi running over to me. His clothing consisted of a pair a brown shorts and a burgundy shirt, with Eevee running alongside him.

"Huh?"

"Lyra and I heard you got hurt after we got here. I had no idea! I never woulda left if I knew..."

I shook my head, trying to find something to say. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you didn't put your dreams on hold just for me. It's unnecessary. I'm good now, and so are we. Alright?" I didn't give him much room to speak; mostly because I didn't want to hear sorry 1,000 and 1 times.

"Okay... so, you made it already? Tough stuff. Caught anything?" He asked, and I shook my head. "Me neither."

I was a bit surprised. I thought for sure Helgi would've caught a Pidgey or Hoothoot. But, he never did like being compared to his mother... so it made sense he didn't catch one. We walked to the stairs, and I opened the door for him, before asking the other question that was inevitable.

"You battled yet?"

He grinned. "Yeah... and we got stomped. Just... we didn't even get an attack in." I wondered how he could be smiling after that. I mean, getting beaten that bad? I didn't know you could smile.

"And you're fine with that?" I asked incredulously.

"Yep! We have tons of time to train and grow. Just seeing how good defensively we were was enough. Besides, why get discouraged over a loss to a veteran trainer?" So it was a veteran trainer...

"Ah. Who was it?" I asked, but we reached the bottom of the steps, and we were surprised by the whole town being out by the practice battlefield.

"Wonder what's going on..." I mumbled, but my question was lost to Helgi, who, excitedly ran outside to witness the scene. Getting outside, Cyndaquil lept onto my shoulder to get a better view. What I saw, was not what I expected.

Lyra was in a heated battle with the old man from earlier today. Mr. Vin.

Chikorita looked heavily damaged, and fairly exhausted, but Mr. Vin's Wigglytuff looked completely fine.

"Young lady, your Chikorita needs to watch its confidence. It's too cocky and by goading opponents, you risk getting a harder battle." Mr. Vin said, pausing a moment to explain to Lyra. My crush looked a bit crestfallen, and very nervous. Instead of replying, she ordered a battle cry.

"Chikorita! Tackle!" The green grass-type got to its feet, and rushed forward. The attack looked very good for a young Pokemon, but Mr. Vin sighed.

"Intercept it." He said carelessly, and the Balloon Pokemon followed his command entirely. Using its soft, bubbly body, Chikorita's Tackle was completely absorbed and caused no damage.

"Finish. Use a weakened Body Slam." The weakened part confused me. Didn't everyone want to win ruthlessly? I knew if I ever faced a young, weak trainer, I'd give leeway, but I didn't know others were like that.

Wigglytuff obeyed, and used its body to pummel Chikorita, knocking it backward. Lyra, in a panic, rushed forward and picked up the leaf pokemon- who was completely unable to battle. Nurse Joy, the referee, called out the results.

"Chikorita is unable to battle! Wigglytuff wins!"

"Again..." Said a spectator, obviously expecting that.

"Now, will someone please fetch Kyle? I wish to battle him lastly." Hearing my name, I walked forward with Cyndaquil starting to get scared. As ready as he was when we were on Route 29, he was now about to enter his first battle. One with an opponent who'd easily KO'ed my childhood friend.

"Ah! Kyle! Good morning! I was hoping you'd stay true to your word to a small battle?" Mr. Vin asked happily. I nodded, trying to calm myself. The crowd had begun to disperse, but was all back, hoping I could somehow win. Lyra was staring at me, and I immediatly solved her mind.

"It's fine Lyra, you didn't know. No sorrys. We'll have breakfast after this, okay?"

Surprised, she nodded without thinking. Turning toward Mr. Vin, I felt a small stroke of confidence flow through me.

"You can do this buddy. I believe in you." I whispered to Cyndaquil, who's shaking stopped as I spoke. It breathed in and out and nodded.

"Cynda." It spoke quietly, and hopped off my shoulder and walked into the ring. Wigglytuff was recalled, and Mr. Vin clutched a different Pokeball.

"Alright... Furret! Go!" A flash of white, and a rodent Pokemon remained. It had dark and light brown stripes and was standing on its hind legs. It didn't speak; instead, it stared down Cyndaquil.

"This is a one on one battle. Cyndaquil versus Furret. Begin!" Nurse Joy cried out, and I took the advantage quick.

"Alright! Cyndaquil, light up!" To be honest, I didn't know if he could light his fire yet. It'd be a large advantage if he could, but I wasn't placing my money on it. As expected, he struggled, but the end result came to a failure.

"Don't let it discourage you buddy! Growl!" A rumble in Cyndaquil's throat came bursting out, and Furret was momentarily awed by the sound.

"Slam Furret!" Mr. Vin called, and the rodent rushed forward. It leapt into the air, and its bushy tail was preparing to smash my Cynadquil.

"Dodge!" I called, and hoped it had the speed to do so. In an act of desperation, Cyndaquil lunged out of the way, landing hard on its belly. But the tail attack missed and a small indent was left in the ground.

"Hm! Your Cyndaquil moves quite fast! This could be interesting speed-wise." Mr. Vin commented, not worrying about anything else. Furret raced back into position as to not get caught in an attacking pose.

"Cyndaquil, try using Ember!" A few murmurs of shock came from the crowd. Without a fire, Cyndaquil wasn't able to use its fire attacks. But I was hoping for some smoke as a distraction. Catching onto my plan, Cyndaquil exhaled, but to our unluckyness, nothing came out. No flame, and no smoke.

"Idiot..." I heard someone say. Ignoring it, I growled.

"Try a Smokescreen!" Maybe if it tried using an attack with a name, it'd work better. But yet again, Cyndaquil's attack failed.

"This has gone long enough. Furret, Iron Tail." The Furret raced forward, its tail glowing. It spun around, and the tail came flying toward Cynaquil. The second it made contact, I knew it was basically over. Cyndaquil cried out and was sent spiraling into the dirt. His landed on his belly, his back in the air. I saw a small glow coming from inside his fire-holes, but nothing was emitting.

I sighed, recognizing a lost battle when I saw one.

"Cyndaquil, can you stand?" I asked, wondering if I should forfeit.

The Pokemon, to his credit, struggled to his feet, but looked at me with pure fear. He didn't want to go on anymore. He was done in by that attack.

"I forfeit." I said plainly, walking over to Cyndaquil. I picked him up, and cradled his small body in my arms. Mr. Vin walked over as the crowd dispersed, unhappy with the predictable result.

"That was a gutsy move- forfeiting. I commend you for it. It takes a real trainer to know when to give in." He said, obviously impressed with the judgemental call.

"I overheard you having breakfast plans, so I'll let you be... oh, by the way. That blond friend of yours? The one with the Eevee? Watch out for him; he's very strong for how long he's been with that Eevee. When you battle; be careful." He said with a twinkle in his eyes. The same one as he had earlier.

I thanked him for the battles, before turning to the Pokemon Center.

"First, we'll get you healed... then, it's time for our date!" I said, grinning widely. If I hadn't known any better, I would've said Cyndaquil was grinning too...


	6. Chapter 6: Newness

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Obviously.

Quick note: I really do thank everyone thats even opened this link to view the story. Means a lot. I may not say much, but that's because I don't really know what to say. It doesn't matter if you have an account or not; any review is an amazing review. In fact, most of my reviewers don't have an account. So thanks.

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><p>"And then I got a call from Professor Elm, saying you were malnourished and hurt! I started freaking out because I'd left without even knowing, and you're like, my best friend... and I felt so horrible!"<p>

"Lyra, Lyra, calm down! It's okay! I promise, I'm fine now, and it's all okay." The bad thing about getting hurt, is having to reassure everyone that cared about you. And usually, a freaking out girl was the worst to try to reassure.

"A-are you sure?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. It was so emotional and fragile, it almost surprised me I was talking to Lyra. She was always the strong one emotionally, never sad or upset. She never had anything to be sad about. So hearing her so upset... it was stunning and a completely new thing for me.

Chikorita and Cyndaquil had both ceased eating to witness the scene unfolding before them. They were both eating some poke'food, and seemingly enjoying it- up until Lyra began crying. From there, I had to move to her side of the booth, and try and comfort her. The good thing was I finally managed to calm her down, and now, she was only hiccuping.

"Positive. I'm glad you went ahead. I would've felt awful if you'd been forced to stay behind just because of me." I spoke in a soft, tender voice. My eyes were looking directly into her own, and I was positive they were calming her.

"Oh Kyle..." She whispered, sighing. I smiled. I knew what she was thinking._ 'How could I possibly be that forgiving?'_

"Don't 'oh Kyle' me missy! Now eat your food." I said with a smirk and she wrinkled her nose, but obeyed. I nodded in success as she began to eat her pancakes.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nurse Joy smirk at us. Probably the closeness, plus how we acted around each other, mixed with a few other factors ended up leading her to a result I could only imagine. I was tempted to go over and try to explain our situation; but I kind of liked being so close to Lyra, and getting up would ruin the moment.

Then, to add to my embarrassment, I saw Cyndaquil shoot me what looked like his own smirk. I was about ready to get into a full brawl. Everyone seemed to be against me; even my own Pokemon...

"Hey! Kyle! Have you seen Ly-" To make matters as worse as they could possibly get, Helgi came rushing through the automatic doors and into the Food Court area, and saw me and Lyra basically sitting on top of each other.

"Sorry... I'll, um, be going..." He said, his face turning about as red as my own. Lyra however, didn't even notice. In fact, she was so absorbed in downing those pancakes, I don't think she noticed anything. He turned, and exited the Pokemon Center as fast as he'd entered, barely containing his laughter.

"Helgi! I swear to Arceus you say anything I will personally beat your as-"

"Kyle?" I stopped mid-sentence.

"Yes?"

"Why are you yelling at Helgi? When he's not even here?" I sighed at my own misfortunes. Turning to face Lyra, I fumbled about for a reason.

"Um, don't worry about it..." I finally ended with. She shrugged, and went back to eating. I wished I could just curl back up in bed and end this day. But I knew that wasn't an option. After eating, Cyndaquil and I were supposed to go to the Poke' Mart so we could gather some supplies, bid a farewell to Mr. Vin, and be on our way. There was no point in remaining in Cherrygrove- there were no badges to be won, or any real reason to remain. We could train, but the only pokemon were back on Route 29, and that wouldn't exactly make us stronger.

I peered down at my partner who was fraternizing with Chikorita. The female leaf pokemon was giggling ever so frequently, obviously entertained by the usually timid fire-type. I saw Cyndaquil give me a quick glance, where I repaid him from earlier. Shooting him a smirk, I saw the tan fur bristle under my smirk.

So who would've guessed it? I liked Lyra and Cyndaquil liked Chikorita...

What're the odds?

* * *

><p>"The total comes out to be 210 dollars please." Raising an eyebrow, I slung the backpack from my shoulder, onto the table to try and get the money from it. I kept my badge case and Trainer Card in my back pocket, but my money was kept in my backpack due to the large amounts. I started off with 500 dollars, and since I had yet to win a battle, I was only losing.<p>

"Quite the amount of stuff." The cashier said as I gathered the money.

"I gotta get to Violet City, and I'd rather not have to shop again there." I said simply, finally having the appropriate amount. I handed it to him, and the clink of the register called to me. I'd need to seriously start winning battles if I wanted to have any hope in being a successful trainer. Cyndaquil was currently with Lyra and Chikorita back at the Pokemon Center.

Cyndaquil.

He was such a determined Pokemon, but so young too. So young in fact, he was at a severe disadvantage compared to other Pokemon. Already it was evident; not being able to ignite his own fire. And until he could, he wouldn't win any fights.

"Sir? Um, sir?" The cashier hesitantly poked me, causing me to blink rapidly and snap my attention back to him.

"Sorry... it's been a long day..." I said, not even realizing the time was only 1:03. The day was still quite young.

"New trainers, old trainers; your days are always going to be long." The cashier replied kindly, and displayed the stuff I'd bought. 3 Potions, 3 Paralyze Heals, Antidotes, Awakenings, and even 5 Pokeballs. That brought my total up to 10; but I knew that at times they would be needed if I were to come across a super rare Pokemon.

"Guess so... thank you, have a nice day." I said lamely, quickly stowing the items away. The cashier smiled, and went on to help serve the next customer in the store. Leaving me forgotten.

I walked outside, and averted my eyes from the strong mid-day sun. It shone bright, and came down in powerful rays sure to blind you if you looked straight on. It was this kind of weather that trainers would use to strengthen their fire-Pokemon due to the increase in heat and decrease in condensation; perfect for a fire attack.

I was tempted to go the Pokemon Center and pick up Cyndaquil for some training, but ended up walking over to the small beach. The waves were softly washing against the sand, leaving a division between the wet sand and dry land. A few old Shellder shells were scattered amongst the water and sand, drawing my attention.

I heard the caw of a few bird Pokemon; unknown to me. I thought a bit about them- their white down, and blue stripes, orange beaks...

"Wingull." Mr. Vin said from behind me. I didn't jump and spin; nor did I move in general. I remained rooted to the spot, staring into the sky. "Odd Pokemon to be seeing here... they're usually native to Hoenn, not Johto." He mused, greatly intrigued, but he snapped his fingers a moment later.

"Migration season! That's right; I almost forgot!"

That made sense. I didn't know much about Hoenn Pokemon at all, what, with them being from a foreign region and all.

"So where's your little companion?" Mr. Vin asked, sensing the absence of Cyndaquil.

"Back at the Pokemon Center with Lyra and Chikorita." I replied, not wanting to engage in conversation. Something just seemed off, and I was determined to figure out the cause.

"That Chikorita... such a peculiar Pokemon. It was heavily goading Wigglytuff- to manys, a surprise." Mr. Vin said, removing a Pokeball from his pocket. I assumed it contained said Wigglytuff, but you never know for certain.

Knowing that there was no avoiding a conversation, I turned my attention away from the rich blue sky, to Mr. Vin's grey bearded face. "Okay, so why's that such an issue?"

He sighed, "Well, it creates a tougher opponent. They're determined not to lose, and therefore, try harder and even evolve in the midst of a battle. It's the dumbest thing you could do. Even if you have a tough rivalry."

I nodded, the explanation making sense. Stopping and thinking, you were bound to try even harder against someone pushing you, and go as far as to surpass your limits, hence the evolution. It did sound dumb when phrased like that.

"I have a question."

"Knock yourself out." I muttered, decidedly picking up an old, scratched purple shell belonging to a Shellder.

"The young man; Helgi? Is he somehow related to a battling expert?" The question was expected. I wished I got to see Helgi battle, so far, he'd sounded amazing.

I nodded, "Yeah. His mom is a gym leader in the Unova region. She's one of the most powerful ones there." I said, rubbing the shell between my fingertips. Mr. Vin nodded slowly, as if expecting that answer.

"He battles with such precision, it's a sight to behold. If that Eevee was just a bit older, he actually could've won."

"But he said he didn't land an attack." I asked, remembering over conversation back when I was leaving the room. He'd specifically said he'd gotten trounced. He wouldn't lie... would he?

"No, he didn't." Mr. Vin said with a chuckle. "But he certainly would've if Chansey didn't know Double Team. Those were some great dodges... he really will be a great trainer." I nodded in belief. As I'd once said, Helgi knew precisely how to battle, and what moves were good in what situations.

"So, that leaves you." Mr. Vin said. The caws of the Wingull's had long since ceased, no longer coating the beach in noise. Now, it was almost silent minus the waves hitting the land.

"What about me?" I asked, feeling my nerves tighten. Here comes the moment he tells me off for not training well and that I shouldn't be a trainer.

"Well... you were very intriguing. It was a quick battle; but it could've been longer had your Cyndaquil been older. Both of you seem to have similar mindsets, which is why you lasted against that Slam. If you'd ordered something else... Cyndaquil would've become torn between instinct and trainer. And gotten KO'ed in the process."

As Mr. Vin explained, I felt myself replaying the battle. It was true; Cyndaquil had been immediately thinking dodge. If I'd order for him to counter or something else, he would've gotten stuck in place. Not to mention the almost hits. We needed work on communication. Once I learned how Cyndaquil thought, I'd be able to battle with him more effectively.

"Are you going to stay, or leave tonight?"

"Huh?" I asked, suddenly remembering Mr. Vin was talking. He smirked, but asked again. This time, I responded.

"I'm probably going to stay tonight, and leave early tomorrow. It's a longer road to Violet City. Much longer." As I ran through the plan, I wondered what the plan would hold. This time, as the elder man spoke, I listened.

"Smart plan. The trek will probably take a few nights. As you said, it's much longer. And more trainer populated. Maybe if you stop off at Mr. Pokemon's house, you'll find some help with Cyndaquil." Hearing help and Cyndaquil, my attention was fully devoted to Mr. Vin. The new prospect of training was greatly accepted.

"When you come to a fork in the road, go right; travel a bit and you'll come across Mr. Pokemon's house." Mr. Vin instructed, and I mentally jotted down the notes. Fork in the road; right. Got it.

I gave it a bit of thought- the Mr. Pokemon character. He sounded familiar. Perhaps Professor Elm had spoken of him before?

"Alright... thank you Mr. Vin. For everything." I said, extending my hand. He gladly accepted it and we shook. Although the day still had a few hours left, I headed back to the Pokemon Center feeling exhausted.

But as I walked, I saw a red-haired figure emerge from Route 29. I wouldn't have paid it any heed, but he shoved a young child who'd raced up to get a closer look at his Pokemon. Enraged, I saw a crowd quickly develop. However, I didn't see Mr. Vin. He was perhaps the most powerful battler here; he'd be the one I'd expect to see. But alas, he was missing.

"What was that for?" The mother screamed angrily, helping her son up. The red-haired boy paid no attention to her, and tried walking further. However, a man blocked his way. Snarling, the boy opened his mouth to speak. That's when I caught a glimpse of Cyndaquil in the Pokemon Center window.

Deciding it was best to have a helper, I rushed to the window, and tapped on it. The Pokemon turned to me and tried saying something. However, the glass absorbed the noise; so I motioned for him to come outside. Within seconds, I had my trusted partner at my side.

"Hope you're ready for a battle..." I said wearily, not liking where the scene developing was heading. So far, the boy was shouting something I couldn't make out. But the blue Pokemon by his feet was already developing a snarl- and with its sharp looking fangs, it wouldn't hesitate to sink them into someone intervening.

As I got closer, I gasped in shock. The boy ordered for a Tackle attack on the intervening civilians. Instantly, there was a circle formed and everyone nervously looked at the boy. Hopefully, that Pokemon didn't know any mouth based attacks or there could be some injuries.

"Totodile, clear a hole. Tackle." The red head said mercilessly and the Totodile obeyed, rushing forward.

"Cyndaquil! Intercept!" I shouted, and my Pokemon immediately obeyed. He lunged off my shoulder and rushed forward with shocking speeds. Any faster, it would've been a Quick Attack. Jumping into the air, Cyndaquil uttered a battle cry before connecting.

The two starters collided, but Cyndaquil had the upper-hand having surprised Totodile. Falling onto its back, it was sent sprawling. Cyndaquil landed on its feet very gracefully, and I rushed into the hole that had been created by the gap. People began cheering and jeering at the red-head, causing him to growl angrily.

"Who the hell are you?" He snarled, and I didn't speak. No point in revealing information to a villain.

"Cyndaquil, finish, Tackle."

The small echidna Pokemon raced forward and delivered a powerful Tackle, sending the Totodile straight into the red-head. From his pocket flew a small card. It landed by my feet. Recognizing what it was, I picked it up.

_ Silver_

"Hey!" The kid snatched the card and looked around. Realizing how defenseless he was, he snarled and ran, plowing through the crowd. I smirked at his defeat, feeling pretty triumphant. The crowd around me cheering was enough to make me wonder if maybe... I belonged in the battling world.

"Thank you so much! You're very brave... thank you trainer..." A woman said to me, tears in her eyes. I recognized her as the same woman who'd confronted Silver after he ran down the boy. I smiled at her, and crouched down to the boys level.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly, seeing a few stray tears in his eyes. He obviously had been crying; whether from shock or pain from falling.

He sniffed and smiled. "Mhm... thank you. You're really strong... um... mister." Realizing he didn't know my name, I chuckled.

"Not mister. Kyle." He smiled even wider, and his mother squeezed his arm as a sign of everything being okay. I nearly forgot my own mother was missing.

"Kyle... if you don't mind, we'd like you to have dinner with us if that's okay." The mother said, and I stood up straightly. Cyndaquil ran up my leg and stopped atop my shoulder. I could basically hear him saying_ 'Accept it!'_

Smiling, I nodded. "Thank you, I'll be there."

The woman led the boy off to her house and the crowd dispersed, but not before a few compliments and thanks from the local people. I smiled and thanked all of them gratefully, before heading back to the Pokemon Center. I decided a quick check on Lyra, then going to dinner would be nice. After all, I'd noticed she was missing from the crowd.

However, when I got back, I was throughly surprised. On Nurse Joy's desk remained a note.

_Kyle,_

_Sorry for leaving! I had to go though. You know that us trainers always have to keep moving. But don't worry; I'll wait for you in Violet City. Me and Helgi'll both be waiting. Oh, Professor Elm tried calling, but you don't have a number. So... in apology for leaving you, I left you a little present. Professor Elm's, Helgi's and my number are already programmed. Good luck on Route 30! _

_Lyra_

I sighed, no matter how hard I would try, I'd always fall behind. It was kind of destiny at this point.

Remembering the 'gift', I opened a small box that was used as a paperweight. Inside, I was mildly surprised to find a Poke'gear, a portable phone and radio. Most great trainers had one. I used to have one, but at 12, my mom broke it, and refused to fix it. It left me pretty upset at her for quite awhile, but eventually, my forgiving nature kicked in, and I forgot about it. The one in the case looked just like the one I used to have...

"Thank Lyra..." I mumbled, filled with emotion.

The second thing I saw was a red device. It gleamed with interest and fascination as I slowly picked it up. I held it in awe, recognizing it. I opened it to confirm it.

**Pokedex Version 5.02**

**Programmed Trainer: Kyle Helmer**

The mechanized voice caused my grin to grow. I was now really an official trainer. There was a short note attached to the back.

_Use this to learn about Pokemon. Good luck._

_Professor Elm_

"Quil?"

Remembering my partner, I decided to test out the new device. It clicked open at the Pokemon and the scanner ran a quick beam across Cyndaquil- trying to scan its data.

**Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse Pokemon. **

**When angered or frightened, Cyndaquil are known to curl into a ball and flare the fire on its back. Its eyes have not yet opened.**

"Wow..."

"Hey? Kyle! Are you gonna join us for that dinner?"

Outside, I heard the boy calling. He didn't know my exact location, but I smiled and stowed the 2 new devices. Cyndaquil, still trying to figure out the beam, glanced up and saw me preparing to run outside. Quick as a flash, he was upon my shoulder.

For a moment, I felt relieved of stess...

Too bad it wasn't meant to stay that way.


	7. Chapter 7: Departure

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon; obviously!

Sorry for the delay. That tends to happen when your only computer literally catches on fire... I just got a new one, and now, I am back. The updates will be slower, mostly because it will be harder pressed with my school schedule, but I'll try to make things work! Thanks for understanding!

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><p>"So are you gonna become the Champion?" I know when you're younger, you are bound more with energy, but I never recall being that hyper. Maybe I was a weirdo... I dunno. It's possible. So far, I'd barely been able to eat because the young boy and his mother had been full of questions, the former being the more curious one.<p>

"Joey, you can ask later. Let Mr. Kyle eat first," Joey's mother scolded, coming to my rescue. I smiled gratefully at her, and we ate in "silence". It wasn't really like an awkward silence or nothing, because occasional comments were made. Cyndaquil seemed to be enjoying his Pokechow, much to my pleasure. I may not've had him very long, but his comfort was very important to me already.

The meal went by rather quickly, Joey finishing first to get some questions in. It kind of felt like I was a powerful trainer; what with me getting so much attention and interest from Joey and his mother.

"Ma, I'm done, may I be excused?" Young Joey asked. His mother merely nodded, and as he ran upstairs she sighed.

"Such energy... ah, do I miss being that young."

I nodded in agreement.

"I do hope you enjoyed the meal. And forgive Joey... Pokemon Trainers are a bit rare these days. At least, ones that want to go all the way to the Champion Throne," Joey's mother explained, taking my finished plate and the rest of the silverware into the attatched kitchen. I heard the water begin to softly run, but I could still hear her clearly as she talked.

"It was great, thank you. And, what do you mean?" The last part was a bit new to me; I had no idea there was a discrepancy in trainers...

"Many of the trainers who recieve Pokemon no longer have the drive to go all the way to the top. It's a sad fact," Throughout the explanation, I found myself looking at Cyndaquil, who looked back. Trainers giving up, no longer able to accomplish the tasks set ahead of them... it was sad to hear.

It was then a thought crossed my mind. We were just pushing the limit in staying another night. Nothing would be accomplished in staying another night. We would be drained of more money, and even then, we'd find another reason to stay behind. It was time to go after this.

"It is sad. Perhaps your son can ask his questions soon? I should get on the road soon," I said, catching Joey's mother by surprise.

"I thought you weren't leaving until tomorrow?" She asked.

"Things have changed. I want to get into the game quickly. I need to make a side-stop as well, so the sooner, the better," It may've been my imagination, but I thought I saw a faint, ghost of a smile appear on the mother's face.

"Okay," She said, before shouting, "JOEY! MR. KYLE NEEDS TO LEAVE! COME DOWN AND SAY YOUR GOOD-BYES!" I blinked a few times in an obviously fruitless attempt to regain my hearing. I wanted to avoid using my hands to try and fix my ears, but that may not have been a choice.

In the blink of an eye Joey was in the kitchen doorway. He didn't look too happy with the news.

"Already?" He asked quietly. I felt bad, but knew there was no going against my decision.

"Sorry...," I said, kneeling down. "But I need to get moving for my first badge."

Joey frowned, but nodded in understanding. "Win it for me, okay?" He asked.

"Of course," I said with a smile. I then stood up. Although it seemed Joey had questions for me, the atmosphere had changed, and he no longer was bustling with the energy he had earlier. I felt heavily responsible for that, but I didn't make it known. Instead, I made an alternative.

"Do you have a Pokegear?" I asked. Joey nodded slowly. Smiling, I pulled mine out of my pocket.

"What's your number? If you ever wanna talk, I'd be glad to chat a bit," It was the most I could do, but it seemed to suffice well enough for Joey was overjoyed as soon as I stopped talking.

"Really! You mean it?"

"Mhm." The number exchange took seconds, and in no time, I found myself bidding the family good-bye. Both assured the entire town was going to tune into my battles when they aired Live during Gym Battles. That was enough to make me anxious and excited at the same time. Though the dinner was cut short, I made my way to the Pokemon Center for one final check-up.

Nurse Joy, seemingly always awake, was stationed behind her computer and when the automatic doors slid open, she peered from behind the monitor- such as she did when I first arrived.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center. How may I help you?" She asked in her ever-friendly tone. I smiled and handed her Cyndaquil's pokeball.

"Just a quick check," I said. The check was quick indeed.

It took only 2 minutes, and before I knew it, Cyndaquil was on his feet at my side looking slightly grumpy with being recalled.

"Sorry buddy, I needed to." He just huffed, not accepting my explanation.

"Are you off?" Nurse Joy asked, a bit surprised. (Like everyone else)

"Yes, I am," I said shortly. The less explanation, the better.

"Well good luck trainer! Be safe!" Nurse Joy said sweetly. I smiled and thanked her. Walking out (lacking confidence) I realized the time of day was around 8. The journey wasn't too long, and the trek wasn't difficult at all, but it could be up to 2 or so hours from here to Mr. Pokemon's house. Depending on the wild Pokemon and all.

I took a halt at the end of the Cherrygrove City limits. The route to Violet City was darkened and mysterious- and looked full of adventure. Taking a breath, I steeled myself for the oncoming journey, and began walking forward with Cyndaquil on my shoulder. His soft breath was the only audible sound I could hear.

I would love to describe the journey, but it was full of nothingness. We had a short-lived battle with a wild Weedle and a Hoothoot. So minor, Cyndaquil could've won with his Growl. But the battles went rather quickly, and at most, added 15 minutes to our trek. I wished there was more excitment- but then again, I also wished we weren't heading for our certain demise. After all, I found myself fearing the result of my upcoming battle against the Gym Leader of Violet City.

Falkner.

The bird-typed trainer was rumored to be quite powerful. He used to have Pidgeot, but due to Pokemon Leauge Regulations, and no beginning trainer able to trump its awesome battling strengths, he was forced to breed and train the much-less powerful Pidgey. That didn't stop him from being strong though.

I didn't know the kind of battle we'd have- whether it'd be huge and magnificent, or short-lived like my previous ones. Cyndaquil still found the disability of not being able to ignite its flame to be a major liability. Plus, he was my only Pokemon. I had yet to catch anything else.

I sighed, and pushed the upcoming challenges away. Whatever happens, happens.

I could only be so prepared...

* * *

><p>After a good 2 and a 12 hours of walking in darkness, I started regretted leaving. We were at a loss for our bearings, and at this rate, we'd get even more lost. We'd get so lost, we had no idea which way was up.

"Cyndaquil, can you try and give us some light?" I asked of the small Pokemon. Cyndaquil, always eager to try and fire up, nodded and lept from my shoulder. He concentrated and began humming. His back fur bristled and the holes on his back flexed- as if preparing to spout fire. But even as they flexed and he willed his fire to come bursting forth, nothing happened.

Not even a spark.

"Oh well..." I mumbled, greatly disappointed. I knew I couldn't blame Cyndaquil in the least. After all, he was still young, and had yet to be taught such things.

I allowed him to hop back onto my shoulder, and then continued walking. My hope came in the form of looking for the forest's clearing. If I found mass lighting, I either found Violet City, or I made a huge circle that I should be embarrassed about.

"Cynda!" The call came as a surprise to me, and I stumbled. It didn't help that Cyndaquil was positioned right next to my ear, so his cry of drawing attention caused me to wince in pain.

"W-what?" I asked, thinking it was another foolish Hoothoot. But when Cyndaquil made no effort to get off my shoulder, nor to prepare for battle, I tossed out that theory.

That's when I saw the outline of a house. Due to its general isolation, I instantly knew this to be the one I was seeking. I almost cried tears of joy. I wasn't lost afterall.

Well, anymore.

"We found it, buddy," I said to Cyndaquil. Although I couldn't see his face, I imagined him to be smiling with glee and looking forward to a nap.

I ran the last stretch of the clearing to get to the door. As I raised a fist to rap at the wood, I drew back. Wouldn't it seem weird if a teenager came and knocked on your door at like, 11 o'clock at night, asking if you could help him train? Wouldn't that tick you off?

Doubt began swirling in my head like a forming hurricane. Suddenly, I regretted leaving at dusk even more. If I'd just left in the morning, this wouldn't have been so awkward. But I couldn't just rest out here either. I needed a place to stay, and I also needed Mr. Pokemon's help.

But... what if this wasn't even his house? What if I was completely mistaken?

_No, have faith. You've gotta put trust in yourself, Kyle. _

I took a breath and looked down at my partner. His face remained stoical... but then again, it was also dark. He could've been freaking out, and I probably wouldn't have been able to see.

That was the problem with night-time. You couldn't see anything.

"We gotta do this..." I mumbled. I just hoped he didn't view me as some teen who was inhaling PokePowder or something. Because the last thing I needed was him freaking out and A) Attacking me. B) Calling the cops. C) Locking me out. Or D) Lighting me on fire. Why D? I dunno, it's kinda like, that'd be a terrible way to be greeted. Anyways...

I put my fist to the door, and gently rapped several times. The house remained dark for a moment before two sets of voices mumbled in the house something incoherant. A light flickered on and a window was faintly illuminated. I found surprise when the door clanked and cracked open.

"Hello?" A tired old man asked.

"Hi... I heard Mr. Pokemon lived here? Mr. Vin of Cherrygrove told me to come here."

The fact the door wasn't slammed on my face was a good sign. The other good sign was the smile that I got from the old man.

"Ah yes, Kyle. Please, come in."

I found myself praying to Arceus that this man was NOT a pedo... because the last thing I needed in this upside-down life, was to go to a court case cause one old man had a fantasy for teens.

I'd come this far. Time to go a bit father... I thought, walking inside. Guess my days were bound to be worse.

If I got that far.


	8. Chapter 8: Evolite

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. As if that wasn't obvious already.

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><p>Whenever you wake up, do your eyes feel crusty and heavy? Because that's exactly how I felt.<p>

I felt a weight between my shoulder blades, pressing down on my skin and causing a slight bit of discomfort. The only positive part came where there seemed to be a minor source of heat as well and it was dulling the pain caused by the weight. I dimly remembered the trek I'd traversed to get to the current residence I was at.

I remember arriving at Mr. Pokemon's house late at night, exhausted. I was invited inside, and then, I felt sleepy. I was given the couch to sleep on... and I fell to sleep in seconds.

The night's sleep that I got was brisk as it was refreshing. For the first time in awhile, I had no dreams. It was odd, even though people aren't able to remember ever dream that they have, upon waking up.

"Urrg..." I mumbled, the feeling of sleep still cocooning my mind. My vision blurred as I came to see a couch cushion blocking my view of all else. I was laying on my stomach on a couch; that much was for sure. But I still didn't know the weight between my shoulder blades.

I blinked a few times, trying to get the blurriness to fade. Groaning, I put my hands on my sides, and pushed upward. Though the fatigue lingered, I rose into a sitting position. And as I rose, the weight between by shoulders was lifted as if...

Oops.

"Cynda!" The undignified cry of my partner caused me to chuckle as I saw him squirm on the floor. His nose wrinkled as he came to a halt in a sitting position similar to mine. Glancing down, I saw that I was still wearing a dirty pair or black jeans and my red shirt. My hair was messed up; but that was kind of to be expected since I passed out face-first on a couch.

"Looks like someone is finally up!" A cheery voice said from across the room. Rubbing my eyes, my vision began to return and I saw two men sitting at a table, one looking over to me.

I wanted to say something, but I had no idea of what to say. So I cradled my head in my heads and groaned. It was as if I was having a hangover... not that I'd ever had one... before...

"Are you hungry?" The man who I assumed to be Mr. Pokemon asked aloud. As soon as he said that, the aroma of waffles and fruit hit my nose like a Hydro Pump to the face. Hunger filled my body quicker then I thought possible, and I actually thought I was going to be sick for a moment. Taking a breath to settle my stomach, I looked up at Mr. Pokemon and the other man and nodded with a smile.

I stood up and Cyndaquil was quick to get over his pout-session. He scampered to get by my feet and walked with me over to the table. The second I got within sights of the second man, my eyes widened. I recognized his hair and face almost immediately. Then again, how could you not recognize one of the greatest Pokemon Professors in all the regions?

Despite his age, I could tell by the crinkles near his eyes that he enjoyed smiling and having... well, fun. Just because someone is old doesn't mean they don't enjoy having fun.

"Ah, and who might this lad be?" Professor Samuel Oak asked, sparing me a smile and pulling out a chair for me to sit down in. I was taken by such surprise and awe, I almost missed the chair as I went to sit down. Though I didn't look, I'm pretty sure Cyndaquil snorted at my awed expression.

"This is Kyle. Mr. Vin and Professor Elm both sent me e-mails about him," Mr. Pokemon said, passing me a bowl of strawberries. I hesitantly helped myself to some of the fruits and berries and also to 2 waffles. I drizzled syrup along the flaky exterior and smiled at the smell. Cyndaquil, not wanting to miss out, lept onto my lap and took a seat on my knee. He stared intently at the waffles, and I sighed.

I hated sharing. Especially my waffles... but we were a family now. It's not like I could starve the little guy.

Cutting a portion of the waffle, I took the cut pieces and put them on a separate plate that remained out. I smiled as Cyndaquil happily cried and began to dig into his meal. Following suit, I began to eat as well, savoring the taste. The last time I had waffles this good... well, it was quite some time ago. Not even my mom made waffles this good. Not like she really tried.

"Well, well," Professor Oak said, catching me by surprise. I peered up, hoping he wasn't smiling at the syrup that most likely covered my face.

"I can see that you are great friends with your Cyndaquil, aren't you?" He asked, and I looked at the small Fire Mouse Pokemon. He was too busy digging into his food to notice my glance, but I felt my face warm up a bit. I definitely hadn't had him very long, and we certainly hadn't had any huge bonding experiences... but we were getting along really good and I did care for him a ton.

I really hoped we would be great friends...

Seeing my glance, Professor Oak merely smiled to himself and turned to Mr. Pokemon to discuss some trainer who had recently gone to the Unova region. Part of me wondered who and if they'd yet battled Helgi's mom. Skyla, Helgi's mom, was actually extremely young still. She was 31, but looked 25... it was pretty amazing.

"... Oh yes, I think he'll be fine! After all, he does have Pikachu with him. Those two are inseparable; and I wouldn't worry a bit. They'll be fine. If anything, I worry more for opposing trainers!" The two men laughed. A Pikachu? An electric-type that hadn't yet evolved to its more powerful evolution in Raichu... odd.

There was only one trainer I'd seen on television that used a Pikachu and that was Ash Ketchum. But he wasn't going to the Unova region... was he?

"Well, at any rate, I should be going. I have the interview in Goldenrod City, then I need to be back to my lab. Tracey is a great assistant, but Muk will get to him in my absence. It was good to see you again," Professor Oak said, standing up. I watched as the two men exchanged a handshake, a laugh and then Mr. Pokemon waved to him as he walked out. Then he turned to me.

"How'd it feel to meet someone as prestigious as Professor Oak?" Mr. Pokemon asked brightly. I just shook my head.

"Overwhelming, that's for sure..." He laughed and I finished off the food in front of me. Mr. Pokemon walked over to the television and flipped it on. Suddenly, I remembered my purpose of coming here was to get help with Cyndaquil and his inability to use fire-attacks.

I tapped Cyndaquil, who had finished eating, and motioned for him to come with me. We walked over to the television and took a seat next to Mr. Pokemon. He was thoroughly interested in the battle taking place on the screen. I spared a glance but all I saw was a Pidgeotto.

"Mr. Pokemon?" I asked, trying to think how to phrase my request. He wasn't a trainer after all, so asking would be a bit strange.

"Hold on one second, this is where things get interesting!" He said, a smile at the screen. I curiously looked back at the screen and my eyes widened as I saw Lyra and her Chikorita on the screen. The crowd was cheering, but the cheers were mixed between Falkner, the gym leader of Violet City, and Lyra.

_"... And what a hot battle we've seen here! Lyra, the challenger from New Bark, has yet to give an inch. Her Chikorita has taken a beating though; does she have enough left in the tank to capture the badge?"_

"Lyra?" I asked aloud, my shock and confusion amusing Mr. Pokemon.

"Oh yes, you know her, don't you? Seems she's been busy recently, hmm?"

I didn't even need to answer that question.

_"Use Razor Leaf!" _Lyra shouted, and Chikorita cast a sideways glance before throwing razor-sharp leafs with the leaf on its head. Falkner just smiled.

_"Gust!" _He shouted at Pidgeotto. The tan bird cawwed and outstretched its beautiful wings. Using its powerful muscles, Pidgeotto flapped twice sending almost visible shock-waves flying through the air. The waves of wind smashed through the leaves and sent them twirling to the ground. But instead of having Chikorita dodge, Lyria grinned as if she'd just won the Pokemon League Championship.

_"What's this? It seems as if Lyra is going to allow the attack to connect! We've seen some strong strategies today; such as the previous challenger, also from New Bark Town, where he and his Eevee made perfect harmony and executed some terrifying combination attacks. Are we going to perhaps see another?"_

So Helgi and Eevee had already won their Zepyhr badge... wow... I knew I was lacking behind, but I mean... that far already? By the time I had my third badge, those two would probably already be challenging the Pokemon League. It was at that moment where my resolve only got stronger- we needed to train and get stronger- pronto.

_"Okay, Chikorita, get ready!" _To say that Gust was powerful was a bit of an overstatement, but the flying-type attack definitely struck the small grass-type. I saw Chikorita's feet dragging in the dirt, her leaf being thrown about in the wind. Finally, the attack ceased, Pidgeotto needing a quick breather.

Lyra took full advantage of that.

_"Chikorita, now! Razor Leaf, all out!" _The second Chikorita pulled its head back to throw those dangerous leaves, I knew it was over. Yes, Pidgeotto was a flying-type, but facing reality, it was also a horrid Pokemon defensively and it looked as if it had already taken a few strong hits. Probably from Tackle a few times- and that was going to leave a mark. So yes, Chikorita had a disadvantage, but its stats were still better and it had the element of surprise.

'_Kudos to you Lyra... guess one of us had to be successful' _I thought to myself. I kind of revoked that once I said it though. Helgi was obviously successful too; so technically, I was wrong in saying that.

The leaves made direct contact with Pidgeotto's chest and wing area, causing the bird to cry out in pain. He, at least I assumed it was male, fell from the sky, crashing heavily on the dirt-covered ground. His eyes were clamped shut and dust began to settle around his body. Falkner stared in disbelief and the crowd was silent as they anxiously awaited Pidgeotto's arise. But after a few seconds of nothing, the referee needed to call it match.

_"Pidgeotto_ _is unable to battle! The winner is Chikorita! The battle goes to the challenger: Lyra of New Bark!" _

The crowd went wild, to say the least. I was stunned when everyone stood up and began to holler loudly and cheer with enthusiasm. Lyra, taken by surprise, melted into the fame by smiling and waving as she addressed the crowd. Chikorita, too, was taken by storm and began to show off for the rambunctious spectators. Despite Falkner being surprised as he lost to a grass-type, he smiled softly and walked over to his fallen Pokemon.

The T.V. didn't air what he said, for it was too soft for the microphones, but it was probably something comforting. Pidgeotto was recalled back into his Pokeball in a red light, before the cameras zoomed in on Lyra for an interview. No longer needing to see anymore, I turned to Cyndaquil with a grimace on my face. We'd fallen farther behind; was there even a chance at catching up?

"Hey, buddy..." I said softly, peering down at Cyndaquil. He'd been on the floor, staring intently at the television- probably trying to learn something about battling.

Now that I think about it, Cyndaquil actually isn't an awful battler. He certainly isn't a Machamp, but he does seem to have adequate strength and terrific speed. His defenses, not that I'd tested them yet, were probably lower. Most fire-types are notorious for having weaker defenses. The few exceptions of that rule are Torkoal and... Macargo. Both though, are incredibly slow as well. It's a trade-off.

Anyways, Cyndaquil seems to have a good Tackle-attack. It's pretty accurate and seems to be able to take out Weedles and Pidgeys in two to three hits, depending on their awareness. Other then that, Growl was probably as good as it could be... I mean, after all, it was only a growling... But other then that, I don't think Cyndaquil can use anything.

Ember would be extremely helpful, but that would require a fire. Smokescreen, as well, would be great. That required just a few smolders of heat and enough burning combustion to produce a thick, black smoke. Neither of which were accessible.

"Cynda?" Cyndaquil mewed. Yes, mewed. It sounds like something a Meowth would do, but young Pokemon do it too. I guess he could've cooed. Despite that, I couldn't help but smile.

Standing up abruptly, I caught Mr. Pokemon by surprise.

"We're going to go get some training in," I said determinedly. Without waiting, I walked outside and took positions in the small field right by Mr. Pokemon's house.

"Okay, Cyndaquil, let's see that Tackle!" I shouted, and Cyndaquil followed my command. Running at full speeds, Cyndaquil turned its body at the last second and delivered a strong body hit to an Apricorn tree next to the house. The leaves shook and a few stray Weedles fell from the bark. That's when I spied a Kakuna.

"There!" I cried. "Cyndaquil, use Growl!" My goal? I don't really know. Maybe, to knock down the Kakuna? I knew they were valuable experience if you managed to defeat it. It's not like they were powerful... they're just really, really defensive and their Harden is super annoying.

A throaty growl emitted from Cyndaquil's mouth and caused the tree to tremble a slight bit. Not enough to knock down the Kakuna. Scrunching my face up, I realized the only way to take down the Kakuna, was to tackle the tree. Not bad training, but it could get mildly painful if I wasn't careful.

"Fine, Cyndaquil, use Ta-"

"Wait a second, lad," Mr. Pokemon interrupted, cutting off my call for a Tackle. Cyndaquil, caught by the interruption, crashed into the tree with no effects done. Cyndaquil winced and bounced off the hard bark, landing on its backside.

"Oi, if you're going to interrupt, make sure it's not when I'm commanding an attack!" I told Mr. Pokemon with a hint of annoyance. I know, blah, blah, respect your elders, blah, blah. Well, hey, respect my Pokemon. That could've been bad.

"Sorry!" Mr. Pokemon said hastily, but I suspected he wasn't too sincere. He seemed too involved with something glowing in his hand. "Try giving this to your Cyndaquil," He said, holding out his hand. Unwrapping his fingers, his palm gave sight to a milky white-rock that emitted a soft white glow. I was mesmerized the second I saw it.

"Wow... what is that?" I asked. Cyndaquil hobbled over and was taken by its beauty as well.

Mr. Pokemon smiled. "This, is yours. This is going to help you a ton. This, is an Evolite."


	9. Chapter 9: Short Explanations

Disclaimer: I, not being Japanese, obviously do not own Pokemon. Why would I be here if I owned a multimillion dollar corporation?

I wanted to send a special shout-out to a certain reviewer who left a good and solid review, that now I feel guilt about being away for so long. See, I've been dealing with a whole bunch of issues involving some rather... personal stuff? So I'm terribly apologetic about being away, but I mean, stuff happens. I could understand any anger. Lest to be sure, I'm not always going to update on a basis, but I will always try.

So thank you to all who will remain loyal! Onto the story!

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><p>Exhaustion. Absolute exhaustion fell over my body as I shuffled slowly toward the welcoming couch. In my arms, Cyndaquil snuggled into my chest, already fast asleep. His soft breath came out in light bursts, tickling my arms. We'd done a lot of training after equipping the Evolite. First, we did a brief exploration of Dark Cave. After battling a few ravenous and oddly angry Zubat, we left the cave and began to practice Ember.<p>

Unfortunately, even after the training, Cyndaquil was unable to produce even a Smokescreen. I could tell by his crestfallen face that he was upset and disappointed in himself. I comforted him, but I don't know how much good it really did. I mean, he cheered up a bit, but his body language remained the same. He was still upset with himself, and I knew that.

So, after that, I decided it was time for a rest. He was disappointed and fairly exhausted from the battles, and running him into the ground would do us no good. Especially considering how the nearest Pokemon Center was in Violet City, and we had yet to get there.

Finally, I made my way to the couch and looked for a place to set Cyndaquil. Not that he wasn't comfy or anything, but facing reality, it would be hard to stay on one side during the night. I would eventually roll and he'd fall. So, I set the young fire-type down and went over to my bag. I pulled out a plain black sleeveless shirt. I took off my current shirt and swiveled it into a small "nest". As I threw on the sleeveless shirt and a pair of blue torn jeans, I set the clothes nest down on the floor. Then, I took Cyndaquil gently, and set him in the nest. He snuggled into it softly and resumed his deep sleep.

I, on the other hand, threw myself onto the couch and closed my eyes. I laid there for a few moments before groaning. Ever notice how when you're extremely tired and can't wait to sleep, you somehow can't?

"Have a good training session?" I heard Mr. Pokemon ask. I peered over the arm of the couch and saw him pawing through his refrigerator, looking for something to snack on. I had no idea of the time, but it was dusk outside, so it had to be late.

I was going to shrug, then I realized he wouldn't be able to see anyways. "It was pretty good. That Evolite is helpful; thanks."

"You're welcome! It's nice to see kids appreciate the gifts they're given!" Mr. Pokemon said with a soft laugh. I watched as he pulled out a jar of jelly and began to stumble around for some bread.

"Where did you find it?" I asked, curious to the origins of the mysterious stone. I mean, one doesn't just FIND a stone such as that.

Mr. Pokemon stopped his search for a moment and put a finger to his chin. Despite the darkness, I could see his face contort into thought, as if he'd gotten it a long time ago and this was the first time he'd ever thought about where it was found.

"Well, I... I believe I came across it once when I was a bit younger. See, I collect many valuable and rare items, such as this one time my friend Lance gave me a Red Scale from a rare shiny Gyrados. Anyways, I believe the man's name was... Steven Stone? He was a very strong, very incredible trainer who had come to the Johto region to study the land. One time, I ended up meeting him and we talked some. I revealed my interest in rare items, and he gave me that Evolite," Mr. Pokemon explained.

My eyes were wide though, at Steven Stone's name. I knew exactly who Steven Stone was. He was one of the most powerful trainers in the entire Hoenn region. We're not talking only Hoenn though, we're talking potentially throughout the Hoenn, Johto, and Kanto! The guy was insanely powerful and used some of the rarest Pokemon I'd ever seen.

I'd also heard the guy was a fanatic for rocks; so it wasn't too surprising to hear he had something like an Evolite.

"You met Steven Stone?" I asked, a still bit amazed. He was one of my favorite battlers.

Mr. Pokemon, whom finally found the bread, smiled and came over to the armchair next to the couch. He took a seat and began to eat, but also explained a bit about Steven.

"Yes, and I even saw him in battle. Wow, what a strong lad. I'm talking, devastating power," Mr. Pokemon recalled, and I tried imagining his Metagross in battle; one of his most powerful Pokemon. "One time, I watched him battle the Hoenn champion Wallace... that was some battle. It was close, but the win was most definitely Steven's. Funny, he never really liked the spotlight because he gave up the Champion position for Wallace. He liked stones too much and loved traveling. Guess being a Champion means you can't travel as much."

I paid attention attentively, trying to recall any battle I'd seen between Steven and Wallace. They'd battled a few times in my lifetime, and each time, it was extremely close. In fact, it always came down to one Pokemon for both men. It was like destiny for them; two titans locked in battle.

"Wow... I'd love to get a chance to fight him someday," I said, acting like a day-dreaming fanboy. I shook out of it, quickly enough to see Mr. Pokemon smiling and chuckling in between bites.

"It'd be a good fight, I'm sure," he said. I couldn't tell if he was serious, but I smiled regardless. Then, Mr. Pokemon changed topics. "Are you going to finish your trek to Violet City tomorrow?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. I was thinking about one more day of training... but maybe it would be better to leave in the morning so I can get to Violet City before nightfall."

"If you leave around 9, I think you can get there by noon! It's not far at all! Once you get there, if Cyndaquil is hurt, be sure to check in at the Pokemon Center, then get in there, and challenge Falkner! If any time is best, it is as soon as possible!" Mr. Pokemon explained. I nodded, but a feeling of fatigue washed over me.

"Rest, young one. Tomorrow, your legacy beings..."


End file.
